Arklow has been awarded €150,000 in Government funding towards the development of plans for the future regeneration of the town’s Quay area.
The funding has been announced under the new Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund, which will see almost 120 projects supported across every local authority in the State.
The €409 million programme is aimed at delivering transformative regeneration projects in towns and cities, including the redevelopment of vacant or underused sites, improvements to public spaces and the development of community and civic infrastructure. The Arklow Quay project was submitted by Wicklow County Council
What does the €150,000 cover?
The €150,000 allocation is for plan development for Arklow Quay. It is an important first step towards developing the proposals for the area, rather than being a direct €150,000 construction budget for the redevelopment of the Quay itself.
The wider Government fund is intended to support projects that can deliver meaningful improvements to town centres, with a particular focus on making them attractive, accessible and usable places for local communities.
Announcing the funding, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD said the Government wants town and city centres to be places where people can meet, shop, live and spend time.
He said the investment should deliver “transformative regeneration” and highlighted the importance of ensuring town centres are safe, accessible and welcoming for people of all ages.
Part of a major national programme
Almost 120 projects have been selected for support under the new fund, covering every local authority in the country. The Government says more than 30 of the projects are designed for, or will be built in, areas of disadvantage.
The funding is also intended to support the Town Centre First policy and focus investment in areas where regeneration is most needed. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will now contact local authorities regarding the next steps required to progress their projects.
The programme has two main categories. Category 1A projects will support longer-term projects due to be delivered in the later years of the National Development Plan, while Category 1B focuses on projects that can be delivered in the short term, with up to €9 million available in shared funding for projects capable of being on site by September 2027.
For Arklow, the €150,000 allocation provides funding to move forward with the planning and development of proposals for the Quay area, with further details expected as the project progresses.
